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IF South Barwon was knocking on the door of the top five leading into Saturday’s match with St Mary’s, then it is now well and truly bashing on it.
The Swans moved to within two points of GFL finals after a 30-point win over the Saints at Kardinia Park West.
South Barwon moved to within touching distance of the five after Grovedale and St Joseph’s played out a thrilling draw at Burdoo Reserve.
The round’s matches have shaken the GFL’s ladder right up, with Leopold now moving into second after its eight-point win over league-leader Newtown & Chilwell.
St Joseph’s now sits fifth on the ladder, while St Mary’s has a four point buffer from the chasing Swans.
“We didn’t mention where they (South Barwon) were on the ladder (pre-match),” St Mary’s coach Rob Condy said.
“South Barwon are South Barwon and we will always have respect for them.”
Swans coach Matthew Scarlett said his young players were building.
“We’ve been building on our games and today there was a supreme confidence in our fitness,” Scarlett, who bagged three goals playing in the forward line said.
“While we’ve got a lot of big names in the middle in that young group in the back who have been enormous in that last month.
We hope to have them play together for the next five to 10 years.”
Colac also remains safe after its 90-point win over Lara.
GEELONG Ammos has stunned Ocean Grove with a massive come-from-behind victory to keep its unbeaten start to the season alive.
trailing all day, the Ammos launched a mammoth final quarter comeback to snare victory by 14 points.
“They (Amateur) got a bit of a run on and they’re pretty hard to stop (when that happens),” Ocean Grove coach Shane Jack said.
“You’ve got to play well to beat them; you’ve got to play a whole four quarters and we probably played a bit under three quarters today, so we know what we have to do.
“I think the contested effort around the footy in the first half, I think our on-ballers really stepped up and that’s probably a couple of times now (they’ve done that against the Ammos). I thought we just really settled down back in the first half, but once they started getting a bit of footy in it was tough.
“We’ve got a few blokes to come back… it’ll be interesting if we get to meet them again.”
WINCHELSEA now faces an uphill battle for finals after a narrow five-point loss to Belmont.
The Blues come home hard after half time to get within a kick late, but it couldn’t find a winner in the dying minutes.
The Blues were made to pay for wayward kicking in the first half, with the Lions deadly accurate in front of the big sticks.
“They (Winchelsea) are a side that had something on the line ... to beat those sorts of sides — it’s good to have any win — but to beat a side that's got something on the line just makes it that little more special,” Lions coach David McKeirnan said.
“They enjoyed it, as I said to them, that’s the feeling you want to replicate so when you have theses wins (you must) enjoy them.
“Even though the seasons only got four weeks left, they’re looking forward to next year already.”
Winch coach David Mensch lamented another performance that didn’t last four quarters.
“We just seem to have it every week, we just don’t play four quarters,” he said.
“I said to the boys after the game, you can go one of two way here. Lose the last three and not make finals or we can dig in and keep at it.
“Obviously it’s pretty shattering. We definitely put it up with any team in the league, that’s the frustrating part.”
Leopold coach Steve Clark said his team was “keen to have a big show” to avenge the big loss Newtown & Chilwell inflicted on them early in the season.
“Newtown was probably the only team in the top 7 that we hadn’t really challenged our beaten, and I think the boys were just really keen to make amends for the last time we played them,” he said.
“And I thought the boys were terrific.”
Eagles coach David Wojcinski called the narrow loss “disappointing”
“We knew Leopold was going to be up and about,” he said.
“We didn’t play our best football and things probably weren’t working out for us.
“But there were areas where I was happy with no doubt.”
In other GFL games, St Albans fell away after half time to hand Bell Park a handy 40-point win.
A 10 goal second half set up the win for the Dragons.
The damage was done early at West Oval as GWSP cruised to a 69-point victory over North Shore.
The Seagulls managed nine goals after half time to earn some respect on the scoreboard, but the Roosters were too strong early.
Key forwards Dan O’Keefe and Lucas Boyd each celebrated their 50th senior game in style, combining for 11-goals.
“We know where our deficiencies are and that we have to recruit and develop some players for next year but the core is ok and we believe this time next year we’ll be going ok” revealed Roosters coach Terry Bright.
It was the first time his side had won all four quarters this season and would go onto be the club’s largest win at home since Round 2, 2013.
“Both times we’ve played North Shore we’ve beaten them convincingly but we respective the fact they are trying to get themselves better (as we are)”.
However it would be fitting that both Thomas Kelly and Patrick Eastman were named as the Roosters best in this “Ron Sells Cup” match.
“They are coming along really nicely, kicking goals every week and they will both be strong players in the GFL” said Bright.
He continued, “Both of them are related to Ron Sells so it was great to see them play well for their grandfather”.
Jason Davenport would kick five goals for the Seagulls for a second consecutive week, combining for 10 with second-year-recruit Brett Jacques
Anglesea was 158 points too good for Newcomb in the BFL.
Queenscliff also recorded and easy 76-point win over Modewarre.
Warriors coach Haami Williams was deflated after the game.
“I don’t think guys care enough about delivering week in and week out,” he said.
“It’s tough at the moment, we lack depth and we lack people who want to put in the effort to be successful at the moment.
“I think they try, but their maturity doesn’t allow them to understand how they can give that (effort). There’s guys in our side who are playing who are clearly not genuine senior players yet, and not experienced enough to know what to do when things get tough.”
Coutas coach Tom Limb labelled his team’s performance as “probably one of the better four quarter efforts we’ve had as a side”.
“Every quarter we actually were quite happy with. We set ourselves different targets throughout the game, each quarter, and delivered on all of those,” Limb said.
“We play both Ocean Grove and Torquay in the last three games, and if we’re wanting to do anything or have an impact — if we’re able to make finals — we need to prove over the next three weeks that we’re going to be thereabouts against these sides.”
Torquay heaped heartbreak on a gallant Drysdale, snaring victory by just two points.
While Barwon Heads ran out 78-point winners over Portarlington.
In the GDFL, North Geelong heaped more misery on Thomson with a massive 112 point win.
Bell Post Hill cruised to victory against Anakie 85 points.
East Geelong was tested early by Geelong West, but recovered to win by 51 points.
Inverleigh blasted Corio by 157 points, while Werribee Centrals was 17 points too good for Bannockburn.